Water curtain nozzle



y 19-66 K. ALDRICH 3,252,661

- WATER CURTAIN NOZZLE Filed Oct. 10, 1963 INVENTOR. l. K. ALDRICH BY I 6 WM MZwn %az1m United States Patent 3,252,661 WATER CURTAIN NOZZLE l. K. Aldrich, 1725 Tifiin Road, Fremont, Ohio Filed Oct. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 315,144 1 Claim. (Cl. 239-515) This invention relates to fire fighting apparatus and in particular to an improved nozzle for producing a fan shaped spray suitable for use as a water curtain.

A water curtain or spray is useful in fighting fires to prevent the spread of the fire to adjacent structures or premises and to lower the temperature of the areas adjacent the fire so that firemen can work closer to the fire in controlling it.

Various Water curtain nozzles, such as those illustrated in Patents Nos. 3,045,931 issued to F. D. Hall, July 24, 1962 and 3,069,100 issued to D. A. Schuler on December 18, 1962, are adapted to be attached to the end of the fire hose and provide a fan shaped spray. These nozzles are not completely satisfactory because no adjustment is provided for regulating the amount of water used in the water curtain. Such nozzles as have been available have been constructed to provide the heaviest water curtain that might be required in use and are wasteful of water when a heavy curtain is not required. This waste of water is particularly serious when fighting fires in locations beyond the reach of city water mains or anywhere an ample high pressure water supply is not available and reliance must be placed on water trucked to the scene of the fire.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a simple water curtain nozzle that is adjustable without the use of tools to provide a wide range of water curtain densities so that the minimum curtain density sufficient to protect adjacent premises may be provided without the waste of water.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved water curtain nozzle that may be readily disassembled and stored in a very compact space but which may be very quickly assembled by inexperienced personnel at the scene of a fire.

More specific objects and advantages are apparent from a water curtain nozzle constructed according to the invention.

According to the invention the improved water curtain nozzle comprises a generally flat director plate, a short tubular member rigidly attached to the plate and a threaded coupling member threadedly engaging the short tubular member. The tubular member has a notch or gap adjacent the director plate which determines the angular extent of the spray curtain while the coupling member has a beveled edge which, according to the threaded engagement with the tubular member, controls the thickness of the fan shaped spray issuing through the gap. The coupling member is, preferably, of sufficient length so that it serves as a prop to hold the director plate in a vertical position while in use.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the improved water curtain nozzle in use.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the improved water curtain nozzle showing one mode of construction.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of another form of construction of the improved water curtain nozzle.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section illustrating the cooperation of an edge of the coupling member with a director plate to form an adjustable nozzle.

3,252,661 Patented May 24, 1966 These specific figures and the accompanying description are intended merely to illustrate the invention and not to impose limitations on its scope.

As shown in FIGURE 1 the improved water curtain nozzle comprises a director plate 1 from which a rigid pipe 2 extends generally normal to the surface of the director plate, the end of the pipe 2 being provided with a fitting 3 connected to a fire hose 4. The lower edge of the director plate 1 includes a flange 5 forming a foot which, when the nozzle is in use, rests on the ground with the pipe 2 serving as a prop to hold the director plate 1 in a substantially vertical position. If desired, the rigid pipe 2 may have a ball and socket joint (not shown) adjacent its connection to the director plate 1 so that the director plate may be inclined as may be desired.

The details of construction of the improved water curtain nozzle are illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. Referring to FIGURE 2, the director plate 1 has a short tubular externally threaded member 6 rigidly attached to the plate with the axis of the tubular member normal to the surface of the plate. Preferably the tubular member 6 is welded to the director plate. The tubular member 6 is notched adjacent the plate 1 to leave a gap 7 that, in axial extent, is greater than the maximum thickness of the water curtain that is ever required from the nozzle and which in angular extent corresponds to the angle of the fan shaped spray required from the nozzle. Preferably the gap extends from the top approximately 45 either side thus providing a total angle of spray of approximately The angular extent of the notch may be varied as desired in the design and manufacture of the nozzle.

The pipe 2 is provided with a coupling 8 screwed tightly on the pipe 2 and provided with internal threads that are a running fit on the threads of the tubular member 6 so that the coupling may be readily screwed onto the tubular member. The end of the coupling member 8 adjacent the director plate 1 is countersunk to provide a beveled surface 9 that cooperates with the director plate 1 to form a converging passage through which the water escapes from the pipe 2 to form a water curtain. The bevel or countersunk surface 9 is essential for the efiiciency of the device in order to convert the water pressure energy of the water flowing through the pipe 2 into velocity energy as the water accelerates through the exit slit.

The cooperation of the coupling member 3 with the director plate 1 to form an adjustable nozzle is illustrated in greater detail in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 3 shows an alternative construction in which a short tubular internally threaded member 10 is rigidly attached to a director plate 11. The member 10 is internally threaded to receive an externally threaded end of a pipe 12, that corresponds to the pipe 2 and which may be connected to the fire hose. In this arrangement the end of the pipe 12 is countersunk to provide a beveled lip on the end of the pipe that cooperates with the director plate 11 to form the converging passage for the water.

When this equipment is in operation the reaction force of the water leaving the nozzle holds the director plate foot 5 firmly on the ground or other supporting surface thus anchoring the equipment. The thread engagement between the coupling 8 and the short tubular member 6 is held in firm engagement by the water pressure in the short tubular member acting against the director plate. The nozzle 6 is normally adjusted to the approximate aperture or opening before the water pressure is applied in the hose line since the pressure makes it very difiicult to turn the coupling.

The improved water curtain nozzle as shown and described may be built in various sizes in accordance with the sizes of the hose lines to be employed and provides, by its adjustable features, the efficient production of water curtains with a minimum use of water.

Having described the invention, I claim:

A water curtain nozzle comprising, a substantially flat director plate adapted to be positioned vertically, a short tubular threaded member rigidly attached to said plate near its lower margin with the axis of the member substantially normal to the director plate, said member being relieved to form an upwardly facing gap adjacent the plate, a coupling threadedly engaging the threaded member and adjustably closing the gap, and means including a rigid member serving as a support for the director plate for connecting a hose to said coupling.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,289,889 7/1942 Stick et a1. 239524 2,954,170 9/1960 Goyette et a1. 239524 2,956,751 10/1960 Burque et al. 239275 3,033,470 5/1962 Choitz 239267 3,045,931 7/1962 Hall 239515 3,047,238 7/1962 Sacco 239524 3,069,100 12/1962 Schuler 239598 3,109,593 11/1963 Newland 239524 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, RAPHAEL M. LUPO,

Examiners.

D. L. MOSELEY, Assistant Examiner. 

